People with heart disease are advised to sleep on their right side to reduce pressure on the heart. When you sleep on your right side, the tissues and structures between your lungs will help keep your heart in place.
Sleeping position can also affect brain health. During sleep, the brain's glyphatic system will excrete toxic substances from the brain. This process is more effective when we sleep on our right side.
Pregnant women and people with gastroesophageal reflux or other digestive problems should sleep on their left side because the stomach is lower than the esophagus.
However, depending on the body's curves and the softness and stiffness of the mattress, sleeping on your side can also put pressure on the spine and hips. However, lying on your side for a long time can compress the skin of your face and chest tissue, causing wrinkles.
People who sleep on their side have higher overall sleep quality than those who sleep on their stomach. Snoring sleep (such as crossing one leg while lying on your side) can increase the risk of spinal compression and muscle spasms.
To reduce the pressure of sleeping on your side, experts recommend using thicker pillows to keep your head and neck in line with your spine, while placing a pillow between your knees to support your pelvis.
